Range Rover sets new record
It would appear that the all-new Range Rover Sport has just broken the record for a production-standard SUV on the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb course.
The new Range Rover Sport completed the 19.99 kilometer section of road from a standing start in 12 minutes 35.61 seconds, averaging a speed of 95.23 km/h.
The record was independently timed and sanctioned by the PPIHC – Pikes Peak International hill Climb, the organizers of the annual Pikes Peak event.
The record was broken by a Range Rover Sport 5.0-litre V8 Supercharged model capable of producing 375kW and fitted with a roll cage and harness seatbelts in order to meet the race safety regulations – there’s a bit of extra weight to contend with.
The Range Rover Sport was driven by Paul Dallenbach – the 45 year old Pikes Peak specialist and American competition and stunt driver. Paul has won his division at the Hill Climb six times and has won the event three times.
In his statement, he said that Pikes Peak is a course that has no margin for error, misjudging just one of the 156 turns and you can find yourself plowing into trees or over the edge of the mountain – neither of those being places where you’d normally want to be. In order to break a record on it, the driver needs complete confidence in their vehicle and in their skills, and the Range Rover offered that confidence being responsive and agile.
This second-generation Range Rover Sport is up to 420kg lighter than the first model and it will be launching in Australia in August.
The model will come with a choice of four engines: two supercharged petrol engines and two diesels, but the powertrain line-up will be expanded sometime later by adding a 4.4-litre 250kW SDV8 diesel version, as well as the availability of a diesel-hybrid model for 2014.
